On June 1st, 2020, Kirkus Indie reviewed one of our own To Live Woke, written by Rupert W. Nacoste. Nacoste is a black-Creole native of the Louisiana bayou country and a Navy veteran. During his time in service (1972-1976), to deal with its serious racial problems, the U. S. Navy trained him (and others) to be a facilitator of racial dialogues among sailors. From that 1974 point onward, adding academic degrees, Dr. Nacoste has worked as a scholar-activist of interpersonal and intergroup relationships. On the faculty of North Carolina State University since 1988, he is the winner of the 2013 UNC Board of Governor’s Teaching Excellence award because he uses a captivating oratory style to engage people to see their own role in moments of tension in social interaction.
“At North Carolina State University Professor Nacoste’s course Interdependence and Race has become a mainstay on campus that “shows people how to understand and analyze what is going on in their everyday interpersonal interactions in these difficult days of bold prejudice and bigotry.” In “To Live Woke” Nacoste …takes an intersectional approach to “neo-diversity” that emphasizes race, religion, sex, gender, ethnicity, bodily condition, class, and other forms of group consciousness. His approach avoids the pitfalls of academic jargon and “calling people out,” opting for a down-to-earth style that seeks to help people “engage in authentic social interactions” without fear.”
“In more than 40 concise chapters, Nacoste takes on a range of hot-button issues, including “colorblindness,” the Confederate flag, Islamophobia, racially insensitive “jokes,” and anti-transgender “bathroom bills.” Overall, this book serves as a go-to text for those seeking quick, yet thoughtful, takes on issues of social justice and identity…[It] provides essential and accessible guidance. A timely, practical primer on wokeness.”
Thank you so much to Kirkus Indie for reviewing To Live Woke. Check out their website for more!
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/rupert-w-nacoste/to-live-woke/
